Safety belts in a motor vehicle are usually fastened on one end via an end fitting firmly connected to the structure of the vehicle, whereas the safety belt can be rolled up at the other end on a belt retractor which is likewise firmly connected to the structure of the vehicle.
There are, however, different applications in which a releasable connection has to be provided between the end fitting and the structure of the vehicle. In a safety belt system with an end fitting tensioner, it can be necessary, for example, for design or logistical reasons that the end fitting tensioner is first fastened to the structure of the vehicle in a first assembly step, and then in a subsequent assembly step, the safety belt together with the end fitting is connected to the end fitting tensioner already fastened to the structure via a quick release fastener. In this case, the end fitting can be connected to the end fitting tensioner at the vehicle manufacturer's facility. For this purpose, the quick release fastener should be as cost-effective and easy to handle as possible, so that defective assemblies and long assembly times are avoided.
A generic quick release fastener is known, for example, from DE 10 2008 004 338 B4. However, the disadvantage of the quick release fastener described in DE 10 2008 004 338 B4 is that it is not shockproof in any spatial direction. Rather, an undesired rotation of a rotatable retaining element of the quick release fastener into a release position is prevented solely by inertial forces in case of a vehicle collision. In addition, a specifically configured special tool, which simultaneously engages in the quick release fastener with two specially shaped fork fingers, is necessary to release the quick release fastener. Although this is especially safe because an unauthorized user cannot release the quick release fastener without this special tool, it has been shown in practice that the use of a special tool is too complex and time consuming for an authorized technician to release the quick release fastener.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a quick release fastener for an end fitting of a safety belt which is shockproof in any spatial direction and allows for a quick and at the same time dependable assembly. according to the present invention.